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Key figures in Brussels attacks

Belgium this week marks the first anniversary of the Islamic State attacks on a metro station and the airport in Brussels. DW takes a look at the key figures involved in the attacks, which left 32 people dead.

Airport bombing

Ibrahim El Bakraoui and Najim Laachraoui blew themselves up in the departure hall of Zaventem airport shortly after 08:00 local time (07:00 GMT) early on March 22 last year. Bakraoui, 29, was known to the authorities after attempting to travel to Syria in 2015. Laachraoui, 24, had previously fought in Syria. He is also believed to be the bomb-maker for the November 2015 Paris attacks.

Metro station attack

Less than an hour later, another blast ripped through Maelbeek metro station in the city centre, close to several EU institutions. Ibrahim's 27-year-old brother, Khalid El Bakraoui, was behind the attack. Khalid is also suspected of having helped Laachraoui find safe houses for other jihadists.

'Man in the hat'

Mohamed Abrini, widely known as the 'Man in the hat' failed to detonate his suicide bomb at the airport. He was identified later from the video footage of the attack. Abrini fled on foot back to central Brussels where he disappeared. The 32-year-old, who grew up in the gritty Molenbeek district of Brussels, was a childhood friend of Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the Paris jihadist team.

Another failed attempt

Lawyer Vincent Lurquin, representing Osama Krayem, talks to the press at the appearance of Mohamed Abrini. Krayem, 24, also failed to go through with his suicide attack. He was seen with Khalid El Bakraoui at a metro station carrying huge backpacks. Krayem hid himself among refugees to reach Europe from Syria in 2015. Both Abrini and Krayem were arrested in Brussels in early April.

More arrests

Belgian authorities carried out extensive raids in the aftermath of the attacks and detained several people on suspicion of helping prepare the metro and airport attacks. Smail Farisi, 32, and Bilal El Makhoukhi, 28, still detained, are believed to be the most important figures. Farisi is said to have set up a safe house for the metro attack while Makhoukhi has been linked to Ibrahim El Bakraoui.

Who actually gave the order?

Federal Prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw believes the order for the attacks in Brussels came from a high-ranking Islamic State official. Investigators have identified Osama Atar, a Belgian-Moroccan extremist, as the main suspect. Atar has served time in US prisons in Iraq. A laptop found near the safehouse used for the airport attack shows that the jihadists had been in close contact with Atar.

Airport bombing

Ibrahim El Bakraoui and Najim Laachraoui blew themselves up in the departure hall of Zaventem airport shortly after 08:00 local time (07:00 GMT) early on March 22 last year. Bakraoui, 29, was known to the authorities after attempting to travel to Syria in 2015. Laachraoui, 24, had previously fought in Syria. He is also believed to be the bomb-maker for the November 2015 Paris attacks.

Metro station attack

Less than an hour later, another blast ripped through Maelbeek metro station in the city centre, close to several EU institutions. Ibrahim's 27-year-old brother, Khalid El Bakraoui, was behind the attack. Khalid is also suspected of having helped Laachraoui find safe houses for other jihadists.

'Man in the hat'

Mohamed Abrini, widely known as the 'Man in the hat' failed to detonate his suicide bomb at the airport. He was identified later from the video footage of the attack. Abrini fled on foot back to central Brussels where he disappeared. The 32-year-old, who grew up in the gritty Molenbeek district of Brussels, was a childhood friend of Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the Paris jihadist team.

Another failed attempt

Lawyer Vincent Lurquin, representing Osama Krayem, talks to the press at the appearance of Mohamed Abrini. Krayem, 24, also failed to go through with his suicide attack. He was seen with Khalid El Bakraoui at a metro station carrying huge backpacks. Krayem hid himself among refugees to reach Europe from Syria in 2015. Both Abrini and Krayem were arrested in Brussels in early April.

More arrests

Belgian authorities carried out extensive raids in the aftermath of the attacks and detained several people on suspicion of helping prepare the metro and airport attacks. Smail Farisi, 32, and Bilal El Makhoukhi, 28, still detained, are believed to be the most important figures. Farisi is said to have set up a safe house for the metro attack while Makhoukhi has been linked to Ibrahim El Bakraoui.

Who actually gave the order?

Federal Prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw believes the order for the attacks in Brussels came from a high-ranking Islamic State official. Investigators have identified Osama Atar, a Belgian-Moroccan extremist, as the main suspect. Atar has served time in US prisons in Iraq. A laptop found near the safehouse used for the airport attack shows that the jihadists had been in close contact with Atar.